The computer is fecked, it keeps freezing. The memory has been tested, no errors. Hard drive replaced. New hard drive wouldn't format, so replaced. Replacement hard drive seems to be okay but computer is still freezing. Replacement graphics card too.

So it must be the motherboard or the cpu so time for the new one.

The trouble is there are now lots of new parts, so the motherboard needs to be compatible with ATA-133 (PATA) hard drive and AGP Graphics card.

Don't worry about the memory it is too old to be used (PC133) so will have to be ditched.

Can anyone reccommend something which can do this? There are 2 hard drives and 2 cd drives, so if you find a SATA combo it needs to have do IDE slots as well.

I just can't seem to see anything suitable?

It also doesn't matter if it is pentium or AMD. I haven't bought new parts in a long time so not sure what all the names mean and which one is better nowadays.

If anyone can reccomend anything please?

One here . but i have no idea how good they are

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/116265

Depends mostly on your budget imo.

I have always been a fan of Asustek motherboards.

Before you spend money... how often does it crash ?
how long has the pc been on for ?
Is there a pattern i.e. is its life before crash quicker if you go straight back into it.
Have you looked in event viewer ? (control panel -> administrative tools -> event viewer), look for things in the categories that co-ioncide with the time of crash
Try running a bare bones system, problem solved ? bare bones is mobo, cpu&fan, 1 hard drive, 1 stick of memory, graphics card (take out optical drives, other hard drive, floppy, surplus sticks of memory, all PCI cards (network, sound, USB adapter etc)

Erm, all i cant think of at moment

Barebones still crashes. Memtest run for ages no errors. Won't even install the new hard drive now crashes on full formatting. If you run quick format (low load I guess, it gets through), but then crashes on installation. Crashes within seconds, or can last a while no trend to it.

I don't want to spend too much, I was guessing sub £100.

Even a second hand board would do if someone has upgraded and doesn't need it.

Current spec is Athlon XP 1600 (1.4Ghz)

PLEASE get someone else to confirm this before you buy, it wouldn't be the first time i stupidly select two things that aren't compatible !

Motherboard:
Asus K8V-VM (http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?rb=23463312593&action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X3Jldmlld3M=&product_uid=114001)

CPU
AMD Sempron 3000+ ( 1.8 ) (http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/94647/rb/23462436206)

Memory
Kingston 512mb (http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?rb=23463334103&action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X3NwZWNpZmljYXRpb25z&product_uid=28907) (i know its labeled SD but its DDR dont worry)

I always get kingston memory, always stable, and i prefer Asus motherboards.

Total price:
102 pounds inc VAT.

Im not sure on delivery on that.

There is also a cheap bundle (http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?rb=23462385575&action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=105702) but read the reviews first its important.

I could try to design a build with less than above if you really cant make it but as always with PC's (and everything in life) spending an extra few quid is worth it. (but its Xmas coming up and im as screwed as anyone financially lol)

Cheers Andy.

The bundle deal doesn't actually look that bad. Wouldn't be my first choice of brand name motherboard but sounds good for getting a computer with otherwise good parts back on its feet.

The Asus looks okay too, but it is micro ATX.

And it looks like its PCI express (not AGP), depends which graphics card you have, although if its an older PC i would have a guess that its AGP.

Thing is if the PC has enough USB ports, on board LAN then you only need a graphics card. Sound card is up to personal choice, PCI cards are better no doubt (better sound and take load off of CPU), but some people are fine with on board, depends on your listening style.

EDIT - if your graphics card is AGP then it wont fit this board, however this has on board, again not amazing but depends if your a gamer/cad person or if your just net and word... as always its down to you and what you use a pc for

Have you checked the PSU?? they can cause all sorts of weird errors.

Also ECS, PC Chips and Elite motherboards are all economy / entry level - cheap and nasty.... Let me re-phrase. You get what you pay for (most of the time) and I have seen more of the said mobo's fail than any other brand. I won't sell em because of the failure rates. (p.s. yes I know lots of people purchase them, this is just my opinion<grin>)

I also prefer the Asus and / or Gigabyte motherboards. Asus do a microATX M2v?? from memory which is at the cheaper end of the price spectrum. (and not a bad board to boot!!)

Regards


Steve

Cheers cobra, I know they are at the cheaper end of the market. However when no one else does the spec you need there is limited choice.

Microatx is no good, a) I don't have a microatx case b) the number of PCI slots are always small.

In the process of checking the PSU at the moment.

Also ECS, PC Chips and Elite motherboards are all economy / entry level - cheap and nasty....

PC Chips and Elite are definitely only for the truly desperate! I have an ECS mobo in a server and it seems quite happy. That's possibly because absolutely no strain is put on it whatsoever and the most taxing thing it has to do is pull sql queries from a database. But for £20 I really can't complain. Not in a rush to attempt software RAID, though....

I have an Asus motherboard (unfortunately I had to go for a low end one as I needed 2 IDE channels and the top end ones only have 1 - built in obsolescense. It's the P5VD2-X and for £40 it was a good buy) in my main workstation with a Core 2 Duo 6400. If I'd have had the extra cash I'd have gone for a 6600, A Radeon x1650 pro (PCI-E) and a gig of RAM. The whole lot was < £350, so it wasn't a bad deal, and it's more than double the speed of my old Athlon 3000+

Which is nice.

Plus it's almost silent and hasn't crashed out yet. It does get some serious battering, too.

SkatieChik, have you checked to see if the fans are working correctly. I had the same problem with the graphic card working for A FEW minutes and then the PC would freeze and reboot. I found that the motherboard had a minut switch on/off clicked this on a lot of noise later and the rig works ok. I had only knocked the case and the switch had moved to the off position.

If a PC gets too hot the software of the machine and CPU will close the PC down and most of the time it wont even tell you! It took me ages to find this was the problem, I replaced the HD, memory, put in new fans, new PSU. Before everybody laughs I had bought this second hand from a dealer and he assurred me that it ran very quietly, so it might be worth getting the motherboard manual out (I wasnt supplied with one, so had to get one from the makers website) and making sure that everything is in the correct position!

I hope this helps and if this is the trouble you will have a working machine. If not I know of several sites that you can get boards that will use all the hardware you have at the moment!

TT Man